Board meets, extends University President Teresa Sullivan's contract one year

The Board of Visitors late Friday afternoon unanimously approved a motion to extend the length of President Teresa Sullivan’s contract from five to six years.

Sullivan will now serve until the end of July 2016.

After previously discussed resolutions were all voted through in the final session, Rector Helen Dragas said the University had made significant strides since the summer conflict, attributing a lot of the recent success to Sullivan and her team.

Financial outlooks, online education and the state of the Medical Center have progressed since the summer, Dragas said.

“We wish to show our heartfelt appreciation to President Sullivan,” Dragas said. “Because of her team’s intensified leadership in important initiatives we wish to reinforce the commitment we made on June 26 to her future work in the University.”

Following the meeting, Sullivan symbolically signed her contract in front of the press.

“I want to thank Helen, George and all the board members for your support,” Sullivan said. “I do believe that we are all together a stronger team and that this will be a distinguishing moment for the University.”

Earlier in the day the University of Virginia’s College at Wise committee met, and Sullivan reported on the progress made in the search for a new chancellor. Former Wise chancellor David Prior passed away last February from an apparent heart attack.

“I have travelled to each of the [three] finalist’s homes and have had a meal with each of them,” Sullivan said. “I think we will be soon naming a chancellor of the college.”

Later in the day a joint meeting was held for the Educational Policy Committee and the Student Affairs and Athletics Committee, during which the implications of the expansion of the ACC to include three new schools were discussed.

The conference realignment was driven by projected growth in revenues, but the decision will also have some negative implications, Athletic Director Craig Littlepage said.

“There will be more travel time and more midweek games, which can equate to missed class time [for University athletes],” Littlepage said.

Several Board members expressed discontent with the fact that they had no say in the inclusion of new ACC members Syracuse, Pittsburgh and Notre Dame when the move will surely have notable effects on the operations of the University.

In the Board’s final session, 14 resolutions were unanimously passed, including the approval of an audit charter, the official amending of the Board manual to change language that would require a full Board meeting to approve the president’s dismissal, authorization to issue tax-free debt and the naming of a new squash facility.